swayed. He blinked the room into focus and headed over to Ellery.
They left the saloon and walked toward the waterfront. “So did you find out something about Gillian ?” Zachary slurred, making Ellery look at him questionably.
“Have you been drinking?”
“What of it? A man can drink, can’t he?” He managed to say even though his tongue felt like it was three times its normal size.
Ellery shook his head. “Really Zachary, you must slow down.”
“Just tell me what you have.”
“As you wish. What I found out was the lady you are married to must have given you an alias. No one has heard of Gillian Metcalf .”
They had reached the river’s edge and came to a halt. The fog had rolled in, giving the water an eerie effect as if it swirled with smoke.
Ellery continued, “Not only did she not give you her correct name, she lied about the city. There isn’t any Huntington Beach. She must have made up the town, too.”
“Hell and damnation!” Zachary ran his hand through his hair. “Who is she?”
“I can keep checking if you want. She couldn’t have appeared out of thin air aboard the Ida Belle. There must b e someone who knows her.”
“It’s him that’s behind this?” Zachary slurred. “I should have known.” He let out a loud bark of laughter. “What a fool I have been. It’s so obvious.”
“What are you babbling about?” Ellery asked. “Just how much have you been drinking?”
“I haven’t had that much to drink.” Zachary leaned heavily on him.
“Your foul breath betrays you, my friend.”
He rolled his eyes. “Do you want to hear what I have to say or not?”
“By all means, continue.” Ellery steadied him on his feet.
“Cyrus Locke set this up. Gillian must know him. That’s how she ended up in my room. He arranged it, from her screaming and him coming to the rescue, finally his accusation, which I couldn’t readily defend. He’s trying to ruin my name, my reputation. Gillian has no intentions of staying with me.” He snapped his fingers. “That’s it. That’s who she’s in love with.”
“With whom?” Ellery frowned.
“Cyrus Locke.” Zachary said, as if this was a known fact.
Ellery burst out laughing. “You really have had too much to drink if you think Gillian would be interested in Cyrus Locke. That’s ludicrous.”
“Is it? He has Creighton Manor.”
Worry darkened Ellery’s expression. “I know you will disagree, but not everyone wants possession of Creighton Manor .”
Zachary frowned and waved his hand. “Fine, then it is money. Cyrus is loaded. He didn’t lose a dime during the war since he kept his money tied with his Northern connections. He probably offered her a fine price. Well, I won’t let him get away with this. His little scheme won’t work because he forgot something.”
“What’s that?”
“I’m married to his mistress and I won’t—”
Ellery placed a hand on Zachary’s arm to quiet him.
They both heard the distinct echo of boots on the wooden planks and searched through the drifting fog for the men.
“Who’s out there?” Zachary demanded. “Show yourself .”
Two men burst through the haze, guns drawn. One grabbed Ellery, holding a gun to his head. The other aimed a gun at Zachary. His mouth curved in an evil grin. “Good bye, Mr. Creighton.”
Zachary lunged at his assailant , slamming into him as he pulled the trigger . The bullet went wild, whizz ing over his head. They rolled on the ground both grappling for the weapon.
***
Gillian followed Molly, but she worried she wouldn’t be able to find her way back to the house. Then another worr y flitted across her mind. The heart of the town loomed ahead and she recalled how the people aboard the Ida Belle reacted toward her twenty-first century attire. She glanced down at what she wore with a sigh. “I should have changed.”
They reached the water’s edge where the fog thickened. In the distance she could hear a piano playing and laughter from the
They left the saloon and walked toward the waterfront. “So did you find out something about Gillian ?” Zachary slurred, making Ellery look at him questionably.
“Have you been drinking?”
“What of it? A man can drink, can’t he?” He managed to say even though his tongue felt like it was three times its normal size.
Ellery shook his head. “Really Zachary, you must slow down.”
“Just tell me what you have.”
“As you wish. What I found out was the lady you are married to must have given you an alias. No one has heard of Gillian Metcalf .”
They had reached the river’s edge and came to a halt. The fog had rolled in, giving the water an eerie effect as if it swirled with smoke.
Ellery continued, “Not only did she not give you her correct name, she lied about the city. There isn’t any Huntington Beach. She must have made up the town, too.”
“Hell and damnation!” Zachary ran his hand through his hair. “Who is she?”
“I can keep checking if you want. She couldn’t have appeared out of thin air aboard the Ida Belle. There must b e someone who knows her.”
“It’s him that’s behind this?” Zachary slurred. “I should have known.” He let out a loud bark of laughter. “What a fool I have been. It’s so obvious.”
“What are you babbling about?” Ellery asked. “Just how much have you been drinking?”
“I haven’t had that much to drink.” Zachary leaned heavily on him.
“Your foul breath betrays you, my friend.”
He rolled his eyes. “Do you want to hear what I have to say or not?”
“By all means, continue.” Ellery steadied him on his feet.
“Cyrus Locke set this up. Gillian must know him. That’s how she ended up in my room. He arranged it, from her screaming and him coming to the rescue, finally his accusation, which I couldn’t readily defend. He’s trying to ruin my name, my reputation. Gillian has no intentions of staying with me.” He snapped his fingers. “That’s it. That’s who she’s in love with.”
“With whom?” Ellery frowned.
“Cyrus Locke.” Zachary said, as if this was a known fact.
Ellery burst out laughing. “You really have had too much to drink if you think Gillian would be interested in Cyrus Locke. That’s ludicrous.”
“Is it? He has Creighton Manor.”
Worry darkened Ellery’s expression. “I know you will disagree, but not everyone wants possession of Creighton Manor .”
Zachary frowned and waved his hand. “Fine, then it is money. Cyrus is loaded. He didn’t lose a dime during the war since he kept his money tied with his Northern connections. He probably offered her a fine price. Well, I won’t let him get away with this. His little scheme won’t work because he forgot something.”
“What’s that?”
“I’m married to his mistress and I won’t—”
Ellery placed a hand on Zachary’s arm to quiet him.
They both heard the distinct echo of boots on the wooden planks and searched through the drifting fog for the men.
“Who’s out there?” Zachary demanded. “Show yourself .”
Two men burst through the haze, guns drawn. One grabbed Ellery, holding a gun to his head. The other aimed a gun at Zachary. His mouth curved in an evil grin. “Good bye, Mr. Creighton.”
Zachary lunged at his assailant , slamming into him as he pulled the trigger . The bullet went wild, whizz ing over his head. They rolled on the ground both grappling for the weapon.
***
Gillian followed Molly, but she worried she wouldn’t be able to find her way back to the house. Then another worr y flitted across her mind. The heart of the town loomed ahead and she recalled how the people aboard the Ida Belle reacted toward her twenty-first century attire. She glanced down at what she wore with a sigh. “I should have changed.”
They reached the water’s edge where the fog thickened. In the distance she could hear a piano playing and laughter from the
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